The concept of teaching and learning in the 21st Century focuses on students as pre-professionals.The classroom needs to “shift” the focus on inquiry and problem-base learning, real world experiences, research opportunities, and field work and promote an understanding of academic content at a higher level by weaving 21stcentury interdisciplinary themes into core subjects. The experiences should engage students with challenges that force student application, creativity, and critical thinking and need to:
Address students’ individual learning needs
Engage student interest •Increase students’ options for access to teaching and learning.
Students own learning, have an authentic audience, collaborate, and make a contribution.
Mastery of core subjects and 21st century themes is essential for students in the 21st century. Core subjects include:
English, reading or language arts
World languages
Arts
Mathematics
Economics
Science
Geography
History
Government and Civics
In addition to these subjects, we believe schools must move beyond a focus on basic competency in core subjects to promoting understanding of academic content at much higher levels by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes into core subjects: Browse Core Subject Resources
Global Awareness
Using 21st century skills to understand and address global issues
Learning from and working collaboratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, religions and lifestyles in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue in personal, work and community contexts
Understanding other nations and cultures, including the use of non-English languages
Obtaining, interpreting and understanding basic health information and services and using such information and services in ways that are health enhancing
Understanding preventive physical and mental health measures, including proper diet, nutrition, exercise, risk avoidance and stress reduction
Using available information to make appropriate health-related decisions
Establishing and monitoring personal and family health goals
Understanding national and international public health and safety issues
•
••
The 21st Century Theme
The concept of teaching and learning in the 21st Century focuses on students as pre-professionals. The classroom needs to “shift” the focus on inquiry and problem-base learning, real world experiences, research opportunities, and field work and promote an understanding of academic content at a higher level by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes into core subjects.The experiences should engage students with challenges that force student application, creativity, and critical thinking and need to:
Mastery of core subjects and 21st century themes is essential for students in the 21st century. Core subjects include:
- English, reading or language arts
- World languages
- Arts
- Mathematics
- Economics
- Science
- Geography
- History
- Government and Civics
In addition to these subjects, we believe schools must move beyond a focus on basic competency in core subjects to promoting understanding of academic content at much higher levels by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes into core subjects:Browse Core Subject Resources
Global Awareness
- Using 21st century skills to understand and address global issues
- Learning from and working collaboratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, religions and lifestyles in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue in personal, work and community contexts
- Understanding other nations and cultures, including the use of non-English languages
Browse Global Awareness ResourcesFinancial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy
- Knowing how to make appropriate personal economic choices
- Understanding the role of the economy in society
- Using entrepreneurial skills to enhance workplace productivity and career options
Browse Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy ResourcesCivic Literacy
- Participating effectively in civic life through knowing how to stay informed and understanding governmental processes
- Exercising the rights and obligations of citizenship at local, state, national and global levels
- Understanding the local and global implications of civic decisions
Browse Civic Literacy ResourcesHealth Literacy
- Obtaining, interpreting and understanding basic health information and services and using such information and services in ways that are health enhancing
- Understanding preventive physical and mental health measures, including proper diet, nutrition, exercise, risk avoidance and stress reduction
- Using available information to make appropriate health-related decisions
- Establishing and monitoring personal and family health goals
- Understanding national and international public health and safety issues
Browse Health Literacy Resources